Steve Nash leaves game again; Lakers lose, again, fall to Jazz

Lakers' Steve Nash (10) weaves his way through Chris Kaman (9) and the Jazz's Diante Garrett (8) in a NBA Western Conference basketball game at the Staples Center Tuesday, February 11, 2014, Los Angeles, CA. After a sizable lead, the Lakers trailed at halftime 48-37.
Photo by Steve McCrank/Daily Breeze

The determination in Steve Nash’s fight hasn’t waned. His positive attitude still remains high. The Lakers’ outlook that he can still replicate the offensive magic that makes him one of the NBA’s best point guards of this generation remains.

But no amount of work has completely eradicated the nerve irritation that has surrounded Nash’s body.

Nash left during the second half of the Lakers’ 96-79 loss Tuesday against the Utah Jazz at Staples Center after feeling more nerve damage in his back. The Lakers say Nash suffered a non-contact injury, and Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni listed him as day-to-day. But Nash has left the second half of two consecutive games because of those ailments.

“I just want to be moving well,” Nash said beforehand. “If I move well like I did last week, I know I can be effective.”

The only encouraging sign entailed a 19-point performance last week against Philadelphia and a nine-assist effort in his return three days earlier in Minnesota.

Meanwhile, Nash’s two-point effort on 1-of-4 shooting and two assists in 17 minutes came at a hefty price. Because Nash played in his 10th game this season, his $9.7 million salary next season will remain on the Lakers’ books even if he is forced into medical retirement because of persistent back pain. The Lakers could still benefit financially by waiving Nash through the stretch provision after this season, ensuring only $3.2 million counts against the salary cap annually for the next three years.

“You never want to feel like you’re not earning your keep,” Nash said. “I want to fight and try to do what I can.”

The Lakers couldn’t rely on Nash’s heroics.

“I’m pretty concerned,” Lakers guard Steve Blake said. “He’s dealing with a lot of pain. I see how hard he has to work just get the few minutes he has been playing and then he’s out again.”

The Lakers (18-34) have other concerns, most notably, dropping to 14th place in the Western Conference beneath the Jazz (18-33).

The Lakers coughed up a 15-point lead after scoring a season-low 10 second-quarter points, shooting 38.8 percent overall from the field and 4 of 16 from 3-point range, perhaps why D’Antoni picked up a technical in the second half. The most egregious offenders included Kendall Marshall (3 of 13) and Blake, whose 2-of-11 clip coincided with feeling more pain in his recently hyperextended right elbow after fighting through a screen.

“It still hurts when I shoot,” Blake said. “It limits me with how much practice I can do.”

All of those elements overshadowed Chris Kaman posting 25 points on 11-of-24 shooting as a starter in what marked his fourth double-digit effort this week after mostly sitting on the bench.

“It’s not like we’re out here chasing picks,” Kaman said. “That’s not what we’re doing at all. I promise.I don’t think anybody thinks that way. But it’s frustrating that the team that is trying to go for picks beat us.”